[hob nado]

I should probably make a Journal for this, it's getting about time...

Zoe Awesome is the name of my new MZX project. It will be done never ever ever. It's an RPG, and it features battles that play out on the same board as you encounter your foes, like Chrono Trigger's; and rather than a textbox, scrolling lines of text like IRC (capped off at four before they disappear; I'll make this configurable.) The characters are based around characters seven and I once invented for an MZX game that never materialized =)

The battle engine is designed to keep combat quick and enjoyable. I know RPG combat can really cause you pain if the battles drag or there are a lot of battles; I remember groaning audibly at FF5's unreasonable encounter rate while trying to figure out how to proceed in some dungeon or other. Well, Zoe Awesome will have no random encounters. Zoe Awesome will also have no lengthy spell animations, and will calculate turns instantaneously instead of using wait meters, as well as use numerical hotkeys instead of selection cursors in all the menus. The whole goal is to keep the battles moving along quickly so you can concentrate on the action.

Currently I've got the scrolling text lines done, and groundwork accomplished on the battle engine.

Here's an early screenshot in case you missed it the first time...



The game's principal is young Zoe Awesome, accompanied her friends Melvin and Joy, and these make up the playable party. Not much to tell about the premise, yet, since the game was mostly conceived around the battle system - but I'll fill you guys in as I think of something. =)

[asgromo]

Oh, jeez, I'm really liking your style. I do hope this goes somewhere. Try keeping your ambitions somewhat modest...

[Koji]

I like!

Also are thoes random characters "junk on the floor" ? XD

[hob nado]

Koji, on Nov 28 2006, 10:57 AM, said:

I like!

Also are thoes random characters  "junk on the floor" ? XD

Thanks, and yeah, but they have transporters in them too =)

[hob nado]

Made a framework for a new feature I dreamed up today:

The world of Zoe Awesome will feature kind of 80's-level computer/internet technology. Text-mode terminals exist that connect to regular TV sets and communicate over phone lines; with these, people can use e-mail, dial into BBSes, and run BASIC programs.

About the BASIC - I'm not writing a whole BASIC interpreter or anything; you won't have to write or read actual BASIC code. Zoe will be able to collect BASIC program listings from books/magazines/BBSes like items, and once collected, she'll be able to run those at a terminal. I might ditch this feature if I can't come up with anything useful for it, but I think it could have some cool applications if I think about it =)

Zoe's world is divided into Worlds. The BBSes will be places to get information about the worlds, people, restaurants and shops you run into - for example, each world runs its own BBS. Zoe and her friends live in World 2, and so the game starts there (why not World 1? Just to be weird, I guess.) They'll end up travelling to a bunch of others, too (World 1, World 3, World 4...you get the idea) if I have my way.

Zoe, Mel, and Joy can read e-mail to keep up with each other, and friends and family, and get information about quests from contacts and even newsletters from restaurants. This, I think, is how the game will advance - the online world will be your hub for game objectives.

Edit: This game is not Hobo Dan 3. That's going to be clearly labeled as Hobo Dan 3 xD

[Risu2112]

What about dialogue boxes, and checking for key press AND release =) <3 <3 <3

[Trev-MUN]

Quote

Edit: This game is not Hobo Dan 3. That's going to be clearly labeled as Hobo Dan 3 xD

Even then, after Stupid Tournament, people will probably expect Hobo Dan to burst out of Zoe's body and ask for soup while the screen goes acid-trippy and flashes images of Ricky Ricardo and Carlos Santana fighting to the death with air guitars.



That aside, I like the look of this one! I'm not sure why, but it reminds me a lot of Honor Quest 2 in motif ...

The 80's technology thing sounds cool, too. I'd love to see how that pans out.

[Hoof]

i like the look of this... but i'm a huge esdemfan.

[Dr Lancer-X]

if I had more time I would have made MAGNET MOM glitch into Hobo Dan after the final battle.

[Koji]

Then the people judging would have REALLY been lost

[djtiesto]

Esdemo1, on Nov 29 2006, 04:45 AM, said:

The world of Zoe Awesome will feature kind of 80's-level computer/internet technology. Text-mode terminals exist that connect to regular TV sets and communicate over phone lines; with these, people can use e-mail, dial into BBSes, and run BASIC programs.

I'm down if it'll have 80's music too. I'm even more down if it features minigames based on 80's coin-ops and console games.

[commodorejohn]

/me is looking forward to this. Very much.